Kenya’s capital, Nairobi, has been selected to host the **2029 World Athletics Championships**, beating London in the race to stage the prestigious global event.
The decision was made by the 26-member World Athletics Council in Budapest on Tuesday, awarding Nairobi the rights to host the nine-day championships in September 2029.
Nairobi’s successful bid comes after London launched an extensive campaign to bring the championships back to the British capital. The London bid was backed by £45 million from the government and the mayor’s office and included an agreement with West Ham United to use its stadium for the event.
The hosting rights present Kenya with a major opportunity to showcase its rich athletics heritage and demonstrate its ability to stage one of the sport’s biggest international competitions.
Kenya is renowned for producing world-class distance runners and has a long-standing association with international athletics. Hosting the championships in Nairobi will place the country’s athletics infrastructure and organisational capacity in the global spotlight.
London previously hosted the World Championships in 2017, attracting packed crowds, with 60,000 spectators attending each of the nine nights of competition.
